James Patrick Caviezel was born on September 26, 1968, in Mount Vernon, Washington, to Margaret (Lavery),a former stage actress, and James Caviezel, a chiropractor. He was one of five children, and the family is of Irish, Swiss-Romansh, and Slovak descent.
Growing up, Jim was described as being "very intense." He had two main interests: sports and religion. He was athletically gifted on the basketball court, dreaming of playing in the N.B.A., and attended Church regularly with his family.
In 1984, Jim went to Mount Vernon High School, but transferred to O'Dea High School after two years. He then transferred again to Burien Kennedy High School in Burien, Washington, where he was a star on the basketball team and graduated in 1987.
After high school, Jim enrolled at Bellevue Community College, where he played on the basketball team. A foot injury in his sophomore season ended his basketball career and his dreams of playing in the N.B.A.
Jim then turned his focus toward acting, auditioning for a part in the independent film My Own Private Idaho (1991). He won a small role as a foreign airline clerk after telling casting agents that he was a recent Italian immigrant.
The following year, Jim moved to Los Angeles, where he worked as a waiter between auditions. He landed small roles in Diggstown (1992) and Wyatt Earp (1994) and guest-starring roles on The Wonder Years (1988) and Murder, She Wrote (1984).
He continued to go relatively unnoticed in small roles until 1998, when he received critical recognition for his role as idealist Private Witt in The Thin Red Line (1998). The following year, he gained further recognition with roles in Ride with the Devil (1999) and Frequency (2000).
In 2001, his role as Jennifer Lopez's love interest in Angel Eyes (2001) helped establish him as a versatile actor and leading man. It wasn't until 2002 that Jim made his strong religious beliefs known.
While filming High Crimes (2002),he refused to do any love scenes with on-screen wife Ashley Judd because it conflicted with his strong Catholic faith. It was also around this time when he was chosen by Mel Gibson to star as Jesus Christ in The Passion of the Christ (2004).
The movie made headlines and broke box-office records around the world, becoming one of the highest-grossing films of all time. Although the movie dealt with controversial matters, Caviezel's performance was acclaimed by both critics and viewers.
Jim's next big role would be on the small screen. In 2011, he landed the lead role in the CBS crime drama Person of Interest (2011). The show instantly clicked with audiences, becoming one of the highest-rated shows on television.
From an outcast actor to a respected film star to a television star, James Caviezel is continuing to give his best to play challenging roles. Off screen, Jim lives with his wife, Kerri, a school teacher whom he met on a blind date in 1993 and married in 1996, and their adopted children.
